Cholesterol - Total
All the cholesterol carried in your blood, in one number. A quick first screen for heart risk; a full lipid profile splits it into the good and bad kinds
Also known as Total cholesterol, Serum cholesterol, Cholesterol (Total), Cholesterol Test
₹147/-Free collection on orders above ₹500/-
- Reports within
- 8 hours
- Parameter included
- 01see list
- Sample
- Blood
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Measures
- All cholesterol in the blood, as one number
- Identifies
- High cholesterol, need for a full lipid profile
Collected at home
A trained phlebotomist visits at a time you pick, from the next hour
Sealed single-use kit
Opened in front of you, and carried to the lab under controlled conditions
Report within 8 hours
On WhatsApp and email, with any value outside the normal range highlighted
What is the Cholesterol test?
Total cholesterol is one number for all the cholesterol in your blood: the LDL that clogs arteries, the HDL that clears it, and the cholesterol carried in triglyceride-rich particles. It is the quickest screen for heart risk from a single blood sample.
A value below 200 mg/dL is desirable. Above that, the number cannot tell you whether the excess is harmful LDL or protective HDL, so a raised result is usually followed by a full lipid profile. Doctors use total cholesterol for a first check in a young adult, for population screening, and to follow a trend once the full breakdown is known. It is not enough on its own to decide on a statin.
No fasting is needed, since total cholesterol changes little after a meal. A phlebotomist collects the sample at home and the report arrives on WhatsApp and email in 8 hours.
Cholesterol parameters1 measured
Total cholesterol
up to 200 mg/dL
All the cholesterol carried in the blood added together, rising with a fatty diet, an underactive thyroid or family history, a first gauge of heart risk
Reference ranges are the lab's defaults for adults and are printed on the report beside every value
How to prepare
- No fasting is needed; you can eat and drink as usual.
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the sample.
- Take your usual medicines unless your doctor says otherwise.
Who should take it
Adults from 20 who have never had their cholesterol measured. Young adults with a parent or sibling who had a heart attack early or has very high cholesterol. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, excess weight or who smoke, as a first step before a lipid profile. Anyone whose doctor wants a quick recheck after a diet change. If you already know your cholesterol is high, or you take a statin, a full lipid profile is the more useful test.
Before the visit
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, have been ill recently or take steroids, thyroid medicine or oral contraceptives; cholesterol shifts with all of these. A total cholesterol alone cannot judge risk in someone with diabetes or known heart disease.
Why take the Cholesterol test?
- First screen: A single number tells you whether your cholesterol needs a closer look.
- No fasting: It can be added to any blood draw, at any time of day.
- Following a trend: Once your full profile is known, total cholesterol is a cheap way to watch the direction.
- Family history: A parent with early heart disease or very high cholesterol is a reason to check in your twenties.
Questions about the Cholesterol test
What is a total cholesterol test used for?
It is a quick first screen for heart risk. One number sums all the cholesterol in your blood, and if it is raised your doctor will usually order a full lipid profile to see which fraction is high.
Do I need to fast for a total cholesterol test?
No. Total cholesterol changes very little after a meal, so you can eat and drink as usual. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before, and if a lipid profile is being done from the same sample, fast for 10 hours for that.
What sample is taken and how does home collection work?
A small blood sample from a vein in the arm. A trained phlebotomist comes to your home with a sealed single-use kit, draws the sample in a few minutes, and carries it to the lab.
What is the normal range for total cholesterol?
Below 200 mg/dL is desirable. Between 200 and 239 mg/dL is borderline high, and 240 mg/dL or more is high. Your doctor reads the number with your age, blood pressure, sugar and family history, not on its own.
What does a high total cholesterol mean?
It means there is more cholesterol in your blood than is healthy, but not which kind. A high HDL can push the total up without adding risk, while a high LDL adds risk. That is why a raised total is followed by a full lipid profile before any treatment decision.
Who should get a cholesterol test and how often?
Adults from 20 who have never been tested, then every 3 to 5 years if normal. Yearly if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, excess weight, smoke, or have a parent or sibling with early heart disease. People on a statin should have a lipid profile instead.
How long does the cholesterol report take?
The report reaches you on WhatsApp and email in 8 hours from the time the phlebotomist collects the sample at your home. Book a morning slot and you will usually have it the same day.
Is total cholesterol enough, or do I need a lipid profile?
For a first screen in a healthy young adult, total cholesterol is enough. If it comes back above 200 mg/dL, or you have diabetes, high blood pressure or known heart disease, you need a lipid profile, because treatment is decided on LDL, HDL and triglycerides.
Commonly tested together
Often on the same prescription
What happens after you book
- A phlebotomist is assigned and reaches you in your chosen slot, as soon as the next hour
- The sample is collected with a sealed single-use kit and moved on a cold chain
- The report lands on WhatsApp and email within 8 hours